World's Finest
by Journeyman41
Summary: Superman and Batman team up to face their nemeses: Lex Luthor and The Riddler!


**Superman and Batman: the World's Finest**

 **By Aidan Richard Vaughan**

Chapter 1

In Gotham City, New Jersey, a mysterious figure interrupts a meeting between Carmine "The Roman" Falcone and some of his top Lieutenants. "Alright gentlemen," Falcone says, "Our operations on the docks are being targeted by The Penguin. And that freak is _not_ going to take what is rightfully ours! No bird-faced quack is going to take what I've worked hard for." His men stammer in agreement. The figure sneaks up on one of the guards on the roof and then knocks him out. Through the skylight, they see the mobsters' gathering, discreetly opening the hatch. "Now as I was saying," The Roman continues, but is interrupted by Batman jumping down from the skylight and landing on the central table. The Roman's men brandish their pistols, but The Batman is too quick and tosses several batarangs at once and knocks the guns out of their hands! The goons writhe in pain as Batman chases after Falcone, who has fled into the night. As The Roman fumbles for his car keys, Batman grabs the don and drags him up onto the roof of the building, kicking and screaming. "Hello Carmine, how long has it been?" Batman asks sarcastically. "Last time I saw you, freak, was when you kicked my son Alberto into the Nuthouse!" The Roman replies. "I thought you learned your lesson back then, Carmine, this is _my_ city now. See you in 15-20," Batman says, and then leaves Falcone tied up, dangling over the roof.

"Excuse me," Dan says, "I'm here to see Commissioner James Gordon." The receptionist asks, "Name?" He pulls out his badge, "Inspector Dan Turpin, Metropolis SCU," he says. Turpin goes up to Jim's office, and knocks on the door. "Come in," Jim says. Dan walks in and introduces himself. "What can I help you with, Inspector?" Jim asks. Dan produces a piece of paper, and gives it to Gordon. "What is this?" Jim asks, "'Riddle me this; I sit behind an iron cage, but the Presidents could never pardon me. What am I?' The answer is money. Why would The Riddler send a riddle over to you guys in Metropolis?" Turpin shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know, Commissioner. Say, who is this 'Riddler' anyway?" Later, Commissioner Gordon lights his pipe on the roof of GCPD Headquarters, and is suddenly interrupted by Batman. "Good evening, Jim," Batman says. Gordon grasps his chest and says, "Geez, you _know_ that I hate it when you do that!" Batman walks over to the Batsignal and turns it off. "Y'know," Gordon says, "Bullock wasn't too keen on calling the Fire Department to help The Roman down off of that roof." Batman asks, "What seems to be the problem?" Jim shows him the note. "The answer is money," Batman says, "But you already knew that." Jim nods his head, and then blows some smoke. "That note was sent to the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit, an Inspector Turpin brought it to me an hour ago," Jim says. "But why would The Riddler send a note to the Metropolis police? He never operated outside of Gotham before," Batman says. Jim looks out onto the city that he swore to protect, blowing more smoke. "Perhaps he wants to muscle in on Metropolis' underworld, or maybe he just wants another challenge," Jim answers. Commissioner Gordon turns around, and sees that Batman has vanished. "Good luck, friend," he says.

Meanwhile in Metropolis, New York, a girl is on a rooftop, looking down on the city. She takes a deep breathe, and then takes a step off of the roof. The wind feels like ice in her hair, and she suddenly stops falling, she feels powerful arms under her. Superman places her back on the rooftop. "Is there anything I can do for you, miss?" Superman asks her. The girl begins to cry, "You idiot," she screams, "That was my only way out!" Superman is puzzled by this. "I beg your pardon?" he asks. "He won't stop, he'll _never_ stop! Hekeeps touching me, and they keep bullying me!" she screams and continues to sob. Superman gets down on his knees and asks, "Who will keep touching you?" he asks. The girl sniffles, and then wipes the tears from her eyes and the snot from her nose. "My father," she says, "Every night…he comes into my room and he _touches_ me. And at School, all of the kids make fun of me; they call me ugly and stupid! That was my last chance to get away from all of it, the teachers won't do anything, and sure as Hell the _cops_ didn't." Superman gets back on his feet and asks, "What's your name?" The girl takes a deep breath and says, "My name's Erica." Superman puts his hand on Erica's shoulder, and she looks terrified, so Superman takes his hand off of her. "Erica," he says, "I'm so sorry that this happened to you. There is _no_ excuse for what they did to you, and I promise you, I'll bring this to the authorities." Anger rushes over Erica's face, "I told the cops, but they did _nothing!_ Weren't you listening to me?!" She begins to cry again. "I never asked for _any_ of this," she says. Superman hugs her, and she squeezes The Man of Steel, making him choke up a little.

The next day, The Daily Planet runs a story headlined; _Judge Assaults daughter, Superman saves her! Story by Clark Kent._ Underneath that story is another one, with the headline; _Gotham City's Riddler names Metropolis bank in threat to Police, story by Lois Lane-Kent._ In the LexCorp tower, a few blocks away from The Daily Planet, the paper is thrown into the fireplace of an office. "Never a dull moment in Metropolis, eh boss?" a pudgy man asks. The shadowy figure to which he refers lights a cigar, and then blows the smoke into the room. Alexander Joseph Luthor stands up from his desk and walks over to his office window. And then he says "Otis, shut up." Otis complies with his employers demand. Lex Luthor stares out at Metropolis and then puts his cigar in the ashtray on his desk. "That article by Lois Lane," he says, "About the Riddler from Gotham City threatening the police. I want him on the phone within the hour, Otis."

Chapter 2

Back in Gotham City, Edward Nygma, aka The Riddler, is doing a crossword puzzle. He solves it and then hears the phone ring. "Hello, who is this?" Nygma inquires. "I presume that this is Edward Nygma with whom I speak," Luthor says over the phone. "Correct, and to whom do I owe the pleasure?" Nygma replies. On the other line, "Mr. Nygma, this is Lex Luthor, I have a proposition for you…" Meanwhile, Dick Grayson is leaving Gotham City High School, when he gets a call on his car phone. "Hello," Dick says. "Dick, its Kara," says Kara Kent, his good friend. "Oh hi Kara," Dick says, "It's been a while!" Kara chuckles over the phone, "Is there any particular time that you can talk, Dick?" Ms. Kent asks. Dick checks his watch and then says, "I can talk right now, Alfred just picked me up from School." He hears a _whooshing_ sound, and then Kara says, right next to him, "Great!" Back at Wayne Manor, Dick and Kara are in his bedroom. "I never realized how big this house _really_ is," Kara exclaims, "Clark always told me that it was big, but now I know just _how_ big it is." Kara smiles, dimples and all, and then she blushes realizing how silly she looks. Dick looks over The Riddler's note, analyzing the riddle itself. "Well," he says, "We know that the answer is _money,_ and that it was sent directly to the Special Crimes Unit, specifically to Captain Maggie Sawyer. So that means that The Riddler is following his modus operandi, meaning that he sends a clue to the police as to what his crime is going to be. But, why Metropolis, why wouldn't he just send it to Commissioner Gordon like he usually does?" Kara thinks for a moment, and then finally she says, "Well…maybe he wanted a new challenge. You told me that he commits crimes and sends clues to the police as a challenge, to prove that his is the superior intellect, right? So maybe he thought, 'I'm done with Gotham, how about Metropolis?!'" Alfred walks through the door and announces, "Ms. Kent, your cousin has arrived to collect you. And by the way, Master Dick, dinner will be ready within the hour." Dick and Kara stand up and he walks her to the foyer, where Clark Kent is waiting for them. "Hello Dick, it's been too long. Are you ready to go, Kara?" he asks. "Ready," Kara says, but afterward, she unexpectedly gives Dick a kiss on the cheek. Dick blushes, with both Alfred and Clark surprised, but none-the-less the Kent's leave. "What was that all about?" Clark asks as the two sore away. She blushes.

In the Batcave, Bruce Wayne is preparing to go out as Batman, but his young ward is out of focus. "Dick," he says, "What is going _on_ with you? You're unfocused, and if you don't get your head in the game, then you're off active duty!" Robin looks up at Batman and says, "I'm sorry, Batman, it's just that…Supergirl _kissed_ me today." Batman places his hand into his palm and sighs. "Robin," he says, "There are two things that one must keep in mind whilst being a crime fighter. The first is that women take your mind off of what's happening, leaving you open for attack…or worse. And second, is that you need to focus on your studies as opposed to the affections of farm girls!" Robin puts his mask on and then says, "Gosh, Batman, you're right!" They are off once again to the rescue, the Dynamic Duo…Batman and Robin! The two drive to the Iceberg Lounge, a club owned by Oswald Cobblepot (aka The Penguin), to learn more about The Riddler's latest scheme. As the Batmobile turns onto Finger Blvd., Batman and Robin see that there is an obstacle in their way, a Jack-in-the-box the size of a gargoyle. Batman swerves the car to evade the box, while Robin holds onto the seat. The Joker and Harley Quinn come out of an alley, the Clown Prince of Crime wielding a Tommy gun, and Harley her signature Pop gun. The Joker opens fire on the Batmobile, but to no avail due to the car being bulletproof, and then Harley shoots at the Batmobile with her Pop gun, and it blows the driver side door off. Batman stumbles out of the car, and Robin jumps out of his seat. Batman throws a batarang at Harley, knocking her down. "Knocking Harley around is _my_ job, Bats!" The Joker exclaims, and then takes aim at his old foe. It is at this moment that Superman comes and deflects The Joker's bullets with his chest! The bullets fly off of Superman's chest, bouncing in all directions. "Yes!" Robin says, elated. Once Joker runs out of bullets, Superman super speeds over and crushes the Tommy gun with one hand, leaving the rogue terrified. The heroes tie up the villains and bring them to the GCPD, who in turn transfer them to Arkham Asylum. "Great work, Superman," Commissioner Gordon says. "Thank you, Commissioner, but it was Batman and Robin who really dealt with Joker and Harley. I just helped them clean up," Superman replies. The Man of Steel smiles, and then flies away, leaving the Commissioner and Dynamic Duo behind to gawk at him. Later, Batman and Robin are standing on top of a building, across from The Penguin's club. "What _exactly_ are we looking for, Batman?" Robin asks. Batman, holding a pair of binoculars, responds by saying, "Anyone _remotely_ tied to The Riddler." Robin sighs, "You do realize that this can take all night, don't you? Besides, if I'd known that we'd be up here all night, I would have brought my homework!" Batman turns to his partner, and then says, "You didn't finish your homework?!" raising an eyebrow. Robin gulps. Suddenly, Batman notices a mysterious fellow leaving the Iceberg Lounge, and says, "There! Mikey "Trigger" O'Toole, he has a history with Nygma as an errand boy." Robin jumps up and says "Alright! Time for some action," brandishing his grapple gun. But before he can swing into action, Batman grabs Robin's arm and says, "Not so fast old chum. We need to follow Trigger to The Riddler, otherwise this stakeout is moot." Robin sighs, and then puts his grapple away.

The Dynamic Duo follows O'Toole to an abandoned house in Park Row, Gotham City's slum. Trigger enters the building through the front door, but Batman and Robin go around to the back. Batman looks at Robin, and the Boy Wonder nods his head, the two kick down the backdoor, and storm in. As Batman and Robin incapacitate the henchmen, they reach the parlor, where O'Toole is with a machine gun. "Before I off yous two, Riddler wanted me 'ta give you this," O'Toole says, handing Batman a tape recorder. Batman presses the play button. " _Good evening, Dynamic Duo, this is your mental superior, The Riddler! I knew that eventually you would find this place, so I decided to exit stage right. But don't fret, Batman, even_ if _you manage to defeat my men, the bomb will most certainly be the instrument of your demise! To say that it was nice knowing you would be an insult to your subpar intellect, so I will simply bid you adieu,_ " the tape stops, and Trigger cocks his gun. "Commissioner Gordon knows where we are, slim ball," Robin says. "They won't even find your _corpse_ kid!" Trigger retorts. Without hesitating, Batman disarms Trigger and Robin jumps onto the other goons. The Dynamic Duo systemically incapacitate the criminals, Batman even breaks Trigger's gun arm, along with his legs, meanwhile Robin breaks several of the gangsters' noses. Suddenly, the aforementioned bomb explodes, destroying the building's support beams. The building comes crumbling down.

Chapter 3

Several hours later, the Gotham City Fire Department is on scene, doing their best to suppress the flames. Commissioner Gordon and the Fire Chief, a man by the name of Cliff Johnson, are behind the barricade, supervising the perimeter. "Chief," a firefighter says, "We've managed to get the flames to die down, we need your go-ahead to send in the search team." Chief Johnson looks up from the building plans and says, "Alright, you have my go-ahead. But remember to _be careful_ in there." Commissioner Gordon looks over at the building, and then back to Johnson. "Cliff," Jim says, "What are the chances of any survivors, if anyone was in there?" Johnson ponders this for a moment, "Based on my experience, Jim, and the severity of _this_ one, I'd say the chances of survival are…slim." Jim shakes his head, _God help us all…_

Inside the building, Batman moves the rubble off of him, and looks around the room. "Robin…where are you?!" he calls. Some rubble shifts a few meters away, and The Dark Knight rushes over, only to find Mickey "Trigger" O'Toole lying under the concrete, impaled. "*Cough* I guess…Riddler screwed me, Bats. Y-you want the goods on 'im?" Batman checks O'Toole's pulse, and then nods. "Riddler," Trigger coughs, "Is planning a…deal, with some hotshot up in Metropolis. S'posed to deal with you, and the other guy," but before he can divulge any more, Mickey O'Toole succumbs to his extensive injuries, and then dies. A moment later, Robin manages to remove enough rubble to call out for help. "Batman, are you there? I can't get out!" Batman rushes over, and removes the concrete from his ward's chest. "Thank you Batman, I thought I was a goner! You think we can find a way out?" Our hero looks around the room, and surveys an opening, wide enough for them both to fit through. "You go first, Robin, and then go find help!" Batman says. Reluctantly, the Boy Wonder goes through the opening, and turns around to help his adopted father, but just as Batman begins to go through himself, the opening starts to cave in! Shocked, Robin yells, "Batman, grab my hand!" But it's too late, the building crashes down on the Caped Crusader! But before Robin can process this, the building starts falling onto him, leaving no room to flee. Robin closes his eyes, and his life flashes before him; growing up in Haley's Circus, being adopted by Bruce Wayne, training to be Robin, the Boy Wonder. And all of it comes crashing down, along with this blasted building! Robin feels a sudden weight, and then like he's flying, and opens his eyes. He is, in fact, flying. Superman's grip is firm, and he smiles down at him. Robin smiles back, relieved. Superman, Batman and Robin fly to safety, and land in front of the perimeter set up by Commissioner Gordon and Chief Johnson. Gordon and the others run over to them, surrounding the heroes, smiles painted across their faces. "Thank God you got them out of there, Superman," Jim says. Robin hugs Batman, tears in his eyes, "I thought that was the end, Batman. I thought you were crushed under the rubble, and I was next!" Taken aback by this, Batman awkwardly reciprocates Robin's embrace. "I would never let anything happen to you, Robin. You're my son," Batman says. "Batman, what exactly happened inside?" Superman asks. "We were tracking a known associate of The Riddler, when we arrived; it appeared as though he was expecting us. The Riddler left a tape, on it he boasted of this being when he finally murdered us, but when we fought off his men, he remotely activated the bomb!" Batman replies. Jim and the others are shocked by this revelation, yes The Riddler has attempted to assassinate the Dynamic Duo, but in more…eloquent manners. "Did you…hear anything else inside, Batman?" Superman asks. "Mickey O'Toole, the man whom we followed, gave me a deathbed confession. He told me that Nygma is working with a 'Big-shot' from Metropolis," Batman says. Superman instantly knows of whom Trigger referred, "Luthor," he says. Jim scratches his head, and then lights his pipe. "I don't know," Jim says, "Lex Luthor is shady, but has _never_ been charged or convicted of a crime. We can't just go off of the testimony of a dying _criminal_." Batman sneers, "I'll gather your _evidence_ , Jim."

Back in Metropolis, at the home of Clark and Lois Kent, Clark is reviewing _every_ article involving Lex Luthor. From charity events to scandals, _dozens_ of articles mention the billionaire industrialist, some more flattering than others. "Clark," Lois calls, "How many 'p's are there in Mississippi?" He doesn't respond. "Clark, are you alright, honey?" Lois asks, entering the room. "Huh?" Clark turns around, "Oh. Two, Lois, two 'p's in Mississippi." Kara comes zooming into the room herself, with a great big smile on her face, and kisses Clark on the cheek. "Oh, thank you, Clark! I'm _so_ glad Dick's safe!" she cries. Suddenly realizing how ridiculous she's acting, Kara blushes, and twirling her right foot on the floor says, "Sorry." Lois smiles, slyly and then says, " _OK_ Supergirl, let's leave our Man of Steel to his research. Oh and Clark honey, eventually you'll have to come down from the clouds with the rest of us. It's not like you have a _wife_ or anything!" Mrs. Kent kisses her husband, and then leaves him to his research, suddenly Clark stops super reading. "Wait a minute," he mumbles. Clark looks at this one article from the Planet, mentioning how Lex Luthor had pledged to donate several million dollars to Gotham City for urban development, and he spent a week there. " _That's_ what peaked his interest," Clark says, "He 'donated' funds to help the city. He could have crossed paths with Nygma then!"

LexCorp towers over Metropolis, an impressive city, with its art-deco style and bright colours. Luthor stands at the window, looking down on the city, manically plotting against its citizens. Lex's receptionist, Eve Tessmacher pages him, _BZZT._ "Yes, Ms. Tessmacher?" Luthor answers. Eve responds, "Mr. Luthor, there's a Mr. Kent form the Daily Planet to see you. He says that it's important." Lex Luthor smiles, and then turns around. "Good morning, Lex," Clark says. Lex extends his hand and replies, "Ah, Clark! It's good to see you, old friend." The two men shake hands, smiling. "What brings the intrepid Clark Kent to my office, today?" Lex asks. He motions for his guest to sit, and Clark does so. "An anonymous source of mine told me that you had some mysterious business dealings in Gotham City, would you care to elaborate on that?" Clark asks. Luthor rubs his chin, thinking for a moment. "I'm not sure what _exactly_ this source of yours said, Clark, however, I have no such dealings. Bruce Wayne refuses to conduct business with me, therefore I stay _out_ of Gotham," Lex answers. Clark's x-ray vision reveals that Lex's heart beat is fluctuating, which indicates that he is lying, his heart beat is also easily heard. Ever discrete, Mr. Kent decides to play along with his nemesis' ruse. "Well," he says, "I just came by to verify that which I already suspected. I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Lex," Clark says, extending his hand. Lex smiles, and reciprocates the gesture. "No harm done, Clark," Lex says. " _Miss Tessmacher_! Show Mr. Kent out," he yells. Eve Tessmacher enters the office, "This way, Mr. Kent," she says. She escorts Clark to the building's front door, and bids him farewell. Clark looks up at LexCorp Tower, and with his super eyesight, sees Lex looking down from his office window, smirking. "I know that you're hiding something, Luthor. I just need to find out what!" Clark mutters to himself.

Meanwhile, at the Daily Planet, Lois is trying to finish her article from last night; an expose on corruption within the United States Senate. Apparently, a senator from Mississippi is allegedly abusing his power for the purpose of tax evasion! As she finishes a sentence, Lois is surprised by Clark, who covers her eyes and rhetorically asks, "Guess who?" Lois smiles, and replies, "Um, Clark Gable's ghost?!" When she turns around, her husband says, "Wrong Clark!" He hands her a cup of coffee and says, "I went to see Lex, and he lied about his dealings in Gotham. His heart beats fluctuated." Lois takes a sip of her coffee, which would match her tan pantsuit. "I didn't know he _had_ a heart," she remarks. Clark smirks, his blue suit matching his sky blue eyes, and then continues, "He said that Bruce refuses to do business with him, therefore he stays out of Gotham. But as Pa would say, 'That's cow dung.'" Clark takes a moment to think of his adopted father, Johnathan Kent, who had died of a heart attack when Clark was a young man. His mother, Martha Kent, still lives alone on the farm in Smallville, Kansas. Lois stands up and hugs her husband, kissing his strong cheek. After the moment between the two, Clark continues. "It's possible that Lex _is_ dealing with The Riddler, but Perry needs _proof_ to run a story. And knowing that he's lying is _not_ enough, I'll go over to Gotham and see what I can dig up," he says. "I can come with you, to help," Lois offers. Clark begins to protest, but then Lois places her finger on his lips, hushing him. "Let's go, Smallville," Lois says.

Chapter 4

Like in Metropolis, Wayne Enterprises towers over Gotham City, however the difference is that Bruce Wayne is a good man. The neo-noir mixed with gothic architecture paints a grim picture. "Mr. Wayne, your lunch date is here, sir," says Bruce's secretary. "Thank you, Shannon," Bruce says. Selina Kyle enters the office, wearing a lovely grey skirt with a purple blouse. Bruce, wearing a black three piece suit with a blue tie, turns around and is stunned by her beauty. "Selina," he says, "You look…beguiling." Selina smirks, "Bruce, darling, people don't say 'beguiling' anymore." She walks over to him and they kiss. Bruce checks his Rolex, and sees that it is 12:15 pm, and then he grabs his jacket. "We should be going, dear, if we want to keep our reservation," he says. As Bruce and Selina reach his 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster, they are interrupted by Lucius Fox, Bruce's right hand man at Wayne Enterprises. "Bruce, I'm glad I caught you before you left, there's been a breakthrough at the med lab!" Lucius says. "What is it?" Bruce asks. Lucius takes a moment to catch his breath, and then he says, "Some of the doctors working on our new cancer treatment have reported a serious breakthrough! And you stressed that you'd want to know of any developments as they transpired, so here I am." Excitement dashes across Bruce's face, for months now, he had been heading a project to find a cure to cancer, and it seemed as though his efforts are being rewarded. "Excellent," he says, "Tell them that their efforts will be rewarded, Lucius." And with that, Bruce Wayne takes Selina Kyle to lunch, at Giovani's Bistro in North Gotham. "So, you've cured cancer," Selina says, "Imagine what this could do for the value of your stock!" Bruce takes a bite of his pasta, and then replies, "I didn't do this to make money, Selina, I did it for the people." Selina cups his square jaw, and then says, "And _that's_ why I love you…among other reasons!" They kiss, and off in the distance, one could see someone snapping photographs of Bruce and Selina.

Commissioner James Gordon is having dinner with his wife, Barbara, and two children; James Jr. and Barbara Jr. James' 16 years old, and his sister is 12 years old. "This is a lovely roast, honey," Jim says to his wife. Barbara smiles, "Thank you, dear." The phone rings, and when Jim answers, it's Detective Harvey Bullock. "Commissioner," he says, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but there've been reports of a monk goin' around draining people of their…blood." Jim hangs up the phone and says to his family, "I'm sorry, honey, duty calls." And he kisses his wife, and turns to his daughter, saying, "Remember to finish your homework Barb, you too James." The Police have surrounded a building in the East End, where the Mad Monk has taken several hostages, including acclaimed journalist Vicki Vale with the Gotham Gazette. When Jim arrives at the scene, he's met by his top cops; Detectives Harvey Bullock and Renee Montoya. "Bullock, what's the situation?" Gordon asks. Harvey takes out his .45 semiauto, and says, "Some freak dressed like a monk has taken hostages, up on the fourth floor. We've got snipers on the rooves overlooking the building, waiting for the order, sir." Gordon shakes his head and then says, "I picked a bad night to quit smoking." Up on the adjacent roof, the sniper is aiming through the windows, trying to locate the Mad Monk. "You won't be able to find him alone, officer," a mystery man says. The sniper looks over his shoulder, learning that the mystery man is in fact Batman! Batman climbs up onto the edge and leaps off, gliding toward the target building, and crashes through a window. On the next story up, the Mad Monk is about to feast upon Vicki Vale's blood, when his super vampire hearing picks up movement in the stair case. "What is that?" he asks*Note: the Mad Monk annunciates his s's, being a snake-like vampire*. Going into the stairwell, the Monk is met by a cloud of smoke. Suddenly, an eerie, yet familiar voice comes from the smoke. "I thought that I _dealt_ with you, DuBois," the voice says. "You mean, _murder_ me, Batman!" Louis DuBois shouts. "How are you still alive, I saw your death?" Batman asks. The Monk's eyes pickup Batman through the mist, and he lunges at The Dark Knight, but is evaded. Batman then reaches into his utility belt and brandishes a wooden stake, which he uses to stab at the Monk, who learned his lesson back in 1939. The Monk grabs Batman's arm, and is about to drain it, when suddenly he is blinded from the flash of a camera. Vicki Vale realizes that this was a mistake, and then promptly says, "Oops. Perhaps I should just go," and then runs away. The Mad Monk gives chase, allowing Batman to jab the stake into the villain's black heart. The Mad Monk shrieks in agony and crumbles into dust, Batman stands victorious over his old foe, once more! Ushering the hostages out of the building, Batman gets a call on his Bat radio, from Alfred. "Sir, Ms. Kyle has requested that I inform you of her safe return home," the butler says. "Thank you, Alfred. Is there anything else?" Batman asks. "Yes sir," Alfred says, "Master Dick has finished his homework and is visiting young Ms. Kent, in Metropolis." Batman looks at the city clock tower and then says, "Good, I'll be home shortly."

Back in Metropolis, Lex Luthor is with The Riddler, and they are discussing a partnership. "And so, Mr. Nygma, we'll corner the market on stolen goods; _and_ in the process destroy our respected…'heroes,'" Luthor says. The Riddler smiles, "An excellent proposition, Mr. Luthor! Riddle me this; as a shadow I skulk across the sky, but am bound to the ground. As a beacon of hope, I shine through the night, what am I?" Luthor takes a moment and then answers, "The answer is Batman and Superman," he says. "Correct," The Riddler says. Luthor continues, "I've had my men follow Superman, as best they can. Hopefully, they'll discover his secret identity in the process," he says. Riddler smirks. "After _all_ this time, Lex, you couldn't find out who Superman is? It has been some time since I learned who Batman really is," Nygma says. This agitates Lex; he will not stand for such rudeness. "Your hubris is agonizing, Nygma," Luthor says. "Coming from the man who believes himself the one who will one day defeat this modern day Moses," Nygma retorts. Lex waves his hand in disgust and then says, "But remember, Moses was not allowed in the promise land. Superman will fall, like all of the other fools." Riddler looks out the window, "Speak of the Devil," he says. Superman taps on the window, which Lex opens, prompting The Man of Steel to enter. "I heard that you two were working together now," Superman says. Lex walks back to his desk and says, "There is nothing _illegal_ transpiring here, Superman. Mr. Nygma and I are just discussing a simple business venture." Superman steps into the office and then walks toward the two villains. "You can _never_ fool me, Luthor. I know when you're lying, so believe me when I say; I will stop you," Superman says. As the Man of Tomorrow flies away, Lex Luthor angrily, swipes everything off of his desk. The Riddler sits there across from the desk and then says, "Even Batman would say something more terrifying than _that_!" Lex looks at him, with a crazed expression, and then retorts. "Batman doesn't have any _powers_! He's just a man dressed as a Chiroptera, it's a wonder any of you _fools_ haven't killed him!" Luthor shouts. Edward tasks Lex, waving his index finger. "Clearly you are unfamiliar with the Masked Manhunter, otherwise you would mind your tongue, cretin. The Batman is anything but foolish, why else would he be the terror of the Underworld, a man as brave as Theseus," Edward says. Lex scoffs, "He's a lucky simpleton, nothing more, and nothing less."

On the Kent farm, in Smallville, Martha Kent is listening to the radio as she knits. " _You just heard I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash, news in 2 minutes_ ," the DJ says. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door, and on the other side Martha sees her son, Clark. "Clark, honey, come in. What an unexpected pleasure!" Martha says, ushering Clark inside. She sits him down on the couch and then asks, "Where's Lois, dear?" Clark looks at his watch, which originally belonged to his father, and then says, "She'll be here soon, Ma. I just decided to run ahead." Martha sees that something is troubling Clark, so she asks, "What's wrong, Clark? You seem…troubled." Clark adjusts his glasses, and then he says, "I'm fine, Ma. But I _am_ worried; Lex has teamed up with The Riddler, from Gotham, I think that they want to kill me and Bruce." Martha looks frightened, she knew Lex Luthor _before_ he became evil, when he lived in Smallville. "Lex was always such a good friend to you, Clark, I still have trouble believing that he could be so…cruel," Martha says. At that moment, Lois' car pulls into the driveway, and she comes inside. "Y'know, Smallville, the _next_ time you want to run ahead, you _could_ give me some sort of warning!" Lois exclaims. Clark smiles, apologetically, and then kisses Lois. Martha brings milk, and apple pie, "It's your favourite, Clark," she says. The family enjoys some wholesome time together eating apple pie, drinking milk and listening to the Kansas City Royals baseball game.

Meanwhile, at the Gotham City Police Department, Detective Harvey Bullock is trying to flirt with his partner, Renee Montoya. "Come on Montoya, all I'm asking is if you want to have dinner with me!" Bullock says. Renee walks briskly away, with her nose up. "No," she says, "I'm not interested, Bullock." Harvey, feeling defeated sighs. "OK," he says, "I'll stop asking you out." Commissioner Gordon gets a call, he yells, "What?!" And then running out of his office Jim says, "The Joker and Harley Quinn have escaped from Arkham Asylum!" Bullock, Montoya and a handful of other Police Officers, rush after the Commissioner. "Harley, pass me another magazine!" Joker yells at his Hench girl. "But puddin'," she says, "We're all out of bullets!" Harley shouts back. Joker looks back at Harley and asks, "What?!" Harley looks squeamish. "Well…I forgot to bring more, puddin'. I didn't think that we'd need more," she says. The Joker slaps Harley across the face. "Of _course_ we need more, fool!" he yells. "I-I'm s-sorry, puddin'," Harley whimpers. "Must I do _everything_ myself?" Joker asks, "I'm surrounded by idiots!" A batarang flies through the air, knocking the gun out of The Joker's hand, to which he is taken by surprise. "Batman!" he exclaims. Batman and Robin jump down and sock the clowns. Harley takes her sludge hammer and swings at Robin, but the Boy Wonder evades, and sweeps her legs. "Y'know Harley, I'm sure after they treat you at Arkham, you could lead a happy life. Away from Joker," Robin says. Harley, ever the fool, shakes her head. "Don't try to take me away from my puddin'!" she yells, charging him. Robin ducks her attack, and then disarms her. At the same time, Batman punches The Joker, knocking some of his teeth out! Joker pulls a knife out of his coat pocket, and swings at his arch nemesis, cutting Batman's left arm. The Joker laughs, manically, "Isn't this fun, Batsy?" he asks, "Just you, me and a razor sharp punchline!" Batman knocks the knife out of The Joker's hand, and says, "Shut up." The Caped Crusader then flips the Clown Prince of Crime over his shoulder and locks him in a choke hold. As he begins to pass out, The Joker manages to pull out his .357, and shoot Robin in the leg! " _No_!" Batman shouts, snapping The Joker's neck. "Freeze," Bullock says. Batman turns around to see the GCPD pointing their weapons at him. Harley sees The Joker's body and screams, beginning to sob. "Puddin'," she shouts. As Detective Bullock moves toward Batman, taking his handcuffs out, The Dark Knight drops a smoke pellet. Grabbing Robin, Batman grapples away as the police fire into the cloud of smoke.

Chapter 5

The Batmoblie turns into the Gotham Regional Forest, picking up a small cloud of dust. A few police cars aren't too far behind; Gordon, Bullock and Montoya are among the officers in pursuit. "Hang on, Dick," Batman says to his ward. The car goes off of a cliff, and down into a ravine, landing on an opening big enough for the Batmobile, which leads to a ramp. Following the ramp into the Batcave, Batman hits the breaks on the Batmobile when they reach the car wheel. Alfred, coming to welcome his employer home, is shocked when Batman comes carrying Robin to the Medical bay. "Alfred, prep Dick for surgery, stat!" Bruce yells, ripping his mask off. Alfred, fearing for the boy's safety, rushes for the surgical instruments. Minutes later, Bruce and Alfred are attempting to remove the slug from Dick's calf. Performing a small cut around the base of the entry wound, Bruce moves some flesh out of the way, giving Alfred the room to take the tweezers and begin to remove the bullet. Alfred's hand, ever steady due to his time in Her Majesty's Royal Marines, tenses as he clutches the bullet in Dick's calf. "Ready, sir?" Mr. Pennyworth asks his employer. Bruce nods, and Alfred begins to pull the bullet out of the boy's leg. Thankfully, they had managed to sedate Dick, before operating. With the bullet out of Dick's calf, Bruce immediately puts pressure on the wound, with a clean cloth. Alfred unravels the bandage roll, and then places the cotton on Dick's leg, wrapping around. With a moment to breathe, Bruce and Alfred walk over to the Batcomputer and listen to the Police scanner. " _Dispatch, this is Commissioner Gordon, we've lost Batman. Send a SWAT team to the Gotham Regional Forest for back up,_ " Jim says over the radio. Alfred looks at Bruce and asks, "What does Mr. Gordon _mean_ , sir." Bruce takes his cape and gloves off; unbuckling his utility belt he walks over to Dick and looks down at him. "The Joker shot Dick, while I had him in a choke hold. So, in anger, I snapped his neck," Bruce says. Alfred is horrified, "My God," he says. Bruce turns to Alfred and he says, "I had no choice, Alfred. He just _shot_ Dick!" The radio lights up, indicating a new broadcast. " _Commissioner, a SWAT team has been dispatched to the forest. Any further orders, sir?_ " The dispatcher asks. " _No, Sanchez. That's all,_ " Jim answers. "You know that no matter what, sir, I support you. But I seem to remember you saying that we would _not_ be killing," Alfred says. Bruce, ever the stoic, checks Dick's pulse. "His condition has stabilized…good. That means that we can prep him for recovery," he says. Checking his watch, Bruce takes his tunic off, and looks at the knife wound he sustained during the fight. "There's no sign of infection, and it wasn't too deep," Bruce says. The phone begins to ring and Alfred answers, as Bruce rummages through the First Aid kit. "Wayne Manor," Alfred answers. "Alfred," Selina says on the other line, "Is Bruce there?" Alfred nods his head, "Indeed he is, Ms. Kyle. Would you care to speak with him?" Bruce has managed to attend to his wound successfully, and then Selina responds. "Yes, thank you," she says. Alfred brings the phone over to Bruce, who says, "Hello." Selina says, "Bruce, the news is saying that Batman killed The Joker!" It is in this moment that the shock leaves Bruce and a feeling of calm washes over him. "Would you like to come over?" Bruce asks. "Oh, alright then," Selina responds.

Later, when Selina arrives, Bruce decides to tell her something. "Selina, there's something that I _have_ to tell you. We've been dating for several months now, and I've enjoyed every moment with you. But there _is_ something that I haven't told you, something that I have never told _anyone_. I am Batman," Bruce says. Selina is shocked, as Catwoman; she fell in love with Batman. But she has been content to date Bruce Wayne; a good, handsome, billionaire genius. "Oh my God," she says, "I can't believe it!" Later that night, Bruce is at his piano, playing a song. "What song is that?" Selina asks. " _Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Van Beethoven,_ one of the first songs that my mother taught me to play," Bruce answers. Martha Wayne was an avid piano player, she taught her son all of the masters' works; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Johann Sebastian Bach. "It's a beautiful song," Selina says, "I see that you've started a party." On top of the piano is a glass of Scotch. Bruce takes a sip, and then says, "I see no harm in a glass." Selina sits next to Bruce and begins to play the opening to _Heart and Soul_ , and then Bruce joins in. Midway through the song, Bruce looks at Selina, and she looks at him. Their kiss is full of lust and passion, caressing one another's face, expressing their love. He picks her up with his massive arms and carries her to his bedroom, where, Bruce and Selina make passionate love.

The following morning, Clark Kent is reading the Daily Planet, and he sees a headline that states; _Batman kills The Joker, story curtesy of the Gotham Gazette!_ "Bruce, what have you _done_?" Clark asks. He changes into Superman, and then flies off to Gotham City. As he flies over Metropolis, Superman is struck by a green ray, knocking him out of the sky! Superman drops down into a suburb currently under construction, breaking the pavement. He looks around and sees the people, staring in shock, and yells, "Get back!" Lex Luthor arrives in his battle suit, followed by The Riddler, with some sort of ray gun. "This is where it ends, Superman," Lex says. The Man of Steel flies towards his nemesis, but The Riddler hits him with a shot from the ray gun, firing a green blast. The ray hits Superman, sending him back to the ground, befuddling the hero. "Riddle me this, Superman; _I come from afar, a world consumed, and with me heralds your doom. What am I?_ " The Riddler inquires. "Kryptonite," Superman answers. "Correct," Nygma says. Luthor runs toward Superman, hitting him with all of his strength, enhanced by his Battle Armor. Superman feels pain. Riddler hits him with another blast of Kryptonite. Lex keeps hitting Superman, but the Man of Tomorrow catches his foe's fist, and then uses what strength he can muster to throw him, albeit not too far. The Riddler attempts to shoot another Kryptonite ray at Superman, but Kal-El uses his remaining power to freeze it with his arctic breath. Edward drops the gun, but has one final trick up his sleeve; he takes his question mark cane and then stabs at Superman. At the business end of it, Riddler has a blade stick out, coated in the remains of Superman's home world of Krypton. The Man of Steel yells in pain, and pulls it out of his abdomen; he then punches The Riddler in the face. Knocking out the King of Conundrums, Superman stumbles away from the scene, pressing down on his belt's centre. The belt sends out a signal to Dr. Emil Hamilton, one of Superman's trusted allies, and to Supergirl. Kara Zor-El comes rushing to the aid of her big cousin, taking him to Dr. Hamilton. Emil is shocked at the damage sustained by his friend. "Get him onto the table, and call Lois!" he says to Kara. "Hang on, Clark," Emil says.

Meanwhile, Lois is at the office, working on a story. Her desk phone stars ringing, "Hello," she answers. "Lois, it's Kara," The Girl of Steel says on the other line. "Oh, hi Kara," Lois says, "What is it?" Kara starts crying, and then she says, "It's Clark. He's hurt, badly. You need to come to S.T.A.R Labs." Without thinking, Lois hangs up the phone, and then rushes over to S.T.A.R. Once she gets there, Mrs. Kent is horrified to see that her husband is badly injured. "Kara, what happened?" Lois asks. "It was Lex, he and some other guy attacked Clark, they must have had Kryptonite," Kara answers. Lois, gripped with fear, goes over to Clark, and cuddles him in her arms. The telephone rings, and Emil answers, "Hello." On the other line, he hears, "Dr. Hamilton, this is Bruce Wayne. I understand that you have a…special patient," Bruce says. Emil, befuddled, replies. "And may I ask how you came to know of this, Mr. Wayne?" Emil asks. Lois looks up, tears running down her face, and walks over to the professor. "Bruce Wayne?" she asks. Professor Hamilton hands her the phone. "What the Hell is going on, Bruce?" Lois demands. "Hello, Lois, the reason why I'm calling is because I have pertinent information. Clark wasn't just attacked by Lex Luthor. He was joined by The Riddler," Bruce says. Lois is shocked, "How did you know?" she asks. "I make it my business to know these things, Lois," he replies. Bruce then hangs up the phone, leaving Lois in suspense. "Hello, Bruce?" Lois asks, but there's no reply. Hanging up the phone herself, Lois walks back to Clark, and rests her head on his massive pecks.

Chapter 6

"Are you _sure_ that you want to make that move, Dick?" Bruce asks his adopted son. Dick, still holding the rook, looks up and then says, "Of course." Relinquishing the chess piece from his grasp, Dick is pleased with himself, but is instantly crushed. Bruce maneuvers his Queen right beside Dick's King, finishing by saying, "Checkmate." Realizing what has happened, Dick waves his hands in exasperation. "Damnit," he says. "Watch your language, young man," Bruce says. Checking his watch, Bruce gets up and pours himself a drink, and then sits back down. "How is your leg, Dick?" Bruce asks. "It's numb, but I'm feeling better, thanks to you and Alfred," Dick answers. Taking a sip of his tea, Bruce says, "Excellent. I'll call Leslie tomorrow, and ask her to check on you. Now, I think it's time for your homework, don't you?" Sighing, Dick hobbles on his crutches to do his School work. Meanwhile, Bruce goes to his desk and looks at a photo of his parents. "I know that I made a promise," he says, "But I had no choice. He was going to kill my son; you can understand that, right?" The Batsignal lights up the sky, and part of Bruce really wants to answer the call, but his logic refuses. "Sorry, Jim, but your trap won't work!" Bruce says to the signal. On the roof of GCPD headquarters, Commissioner Gordon, Detectives Bullock and Montoya, along with a SWAT team stand there, waiting. "I don't think he's comin' Commish," Bullock says. Gordon looks at his watch, and then he says, "I think you're right, Harvey." Meanwhile, at STAR Labs, Professor Emil Hamilton begins operating on his friend, Superman. It seemed that during his initial prognosis, he failed to notice the shard of Kryptonite logged in The Man of Steel's abdomen, specifically his ribcage. "How could you not _see_ that, Emil?" Lois asks, condescendingly. Getting the tweezers off of the tray, Emil turns Kal-El over on his side and begins to remove the Kryptonite. "I didn't _see_ the Kryptonite, Lois, because I was lead to believe that he was hit by a ray!" he says. He manages to get the shard out of Clark's ribcage, but the pain shoots through the Kryptonian's system. "Stabilize him, now!" Professor Hamilton demands. Lois and Kara hold Clark down, and then Emil places a bandage on the wound, and they all breathe a sigh of relief.

The following morning, Clark emerges from the recovery room, having taken the bandage off. Lois looks up and sees that her husband has recovered, and is elated, she runs into his arms. "Oh…easy, Lois," Clark says, "I'm still a little sore. Luthor and Nygma did a real number on me, and that number would be ow." Looking up at Clark and smiling, Lois gives him a big kiss, and then instantly jumps back to business. "Alright, Smallville, we need to pound the pavement. Figure out what _exactly_ these two psychos are planning, and when!" she says. She grabs her husband by the hand and then leads him away, much to his dismay.

At this same time, in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne and his ward, Dick Grayson are eating breakfast. Dick's leg has been healing nicely, and Alfred comes into the dining room with some news. "Sir, Commissioner Gordon is on the line, requesting your presence. What should I tell him?" the butler asks. Bruce takes a sip of tea, and then he says, "Tell Jim that I'll meet with him." Alfred nods, and then leaves the room. Looking up from his eggs, Dick asks, "What do you think the Commissioner wants to talk about, Bruce?" Selina enters the room, kisses Bruce on the cheek, and then sits down. "Nothing good, I suspect," he says. A few hours later, Jim enters Bruce's study, and shakes his friend's hand. "I'm sorry to disturb you at home, Bruce, but there's something that we need to discuss," Jim says. "What, pray tell, would that be, Jim?" Bruce asks. "Well," Jim says, "To put it frankly, you're the smartest man I know. And I was wondering if you could help me…figure out Batman's secret identity." _He_ cannot _be this ignorant,_ Bruce thinks to himself. "I thought that you would have it figured out by now, Jim," Bruce says. Playing dumb, Jim acts oblivious. "Well, y'know, he _is_ pretty mysterious. What with that mask, and all of his disappearing acts," Jim says. Bruce walks over to the portrait of his mother and father, and then turns to Jim. "Alright, Jim, I'll help you figure out who Batman is." Jim can't help but smile. After the Commissioner leaves, Bruce rushes to the Batcave, Dick hobbling behind him, along with Alfred. "Jim knows, that I'm Batman," Bruce announces, "And he's trying to set a trap, to expose me." Alfred, along with Dick, gasps. "What are you going to do, sir?" Alfred asks. Bruce smiles, a rare sight, and then sizes up his butler. "How tall are you, Alfred?" he asks.

Later, Jim and Bruce are at GCPD headquarters, in Jim's office. "So, Bruce," Jim says, "This is every piece of evidence to Batman's identity we have." He shows him a file, and then points to a bulletin board. The board has various wild theories; Bigfoot, Dracula, and other absurd drawings and photos. The file, however, has police reports from early in Batman's career. Also included are notes from then Detective Gordon, such as Harvey Dent and Bruce Wayne. "You suspected me, Jim?" Bruce asks. Brushing it off, as to avoid suspicion, Jim says, "It was a wild theory, Bruce. I thought that since you have the money to fund Batman's equipment, then you'd be a likely suspect, but you had solid alibis!" _Nice try, Jim, but playing the fool will only make this_ much _more embarrassing,_ Bruce thinks. _Come on, Wayne, spill your guts,_ Jim thinks in turn. "Well, then, taking me out of the equation, (and excluding Harvey for obvious reasons) who does that leave then?" Bruce asks. Jim strokes his mustache, deep in thought. And then he says, "I'm not sure, Bruce. Is there _anyone_ that you could think of, who would be a logical suspect?" It's at that moment when the Police Commissioner turns around, showing his hand. "So," Bruce says, "When did you figure it out?" Jim removes his .357 pistol from the holster, aiming at the billionaire philanthropist. "Bruce Wayne, you are under arrest!" Jim says.

Bruce is taken into police custody, on the charges of; vigilantism, assault and battery, breaking and entering, reckless endangerment and murder. After his mugshots are taken, Bruce is lead into an interrogation room, where Gordon, Bullock and Montoya question him. "So you're tellin' me that you ain't the Bat, eh, Wayne?" Bullock asks. "Precisely, Detective Bullock. What possible motive would _I_ have for doing something so crazy?" Bruce asks. Harvey begins pacing, and then Renee steps up. "Mr. Wayne, I know that when you were a boy, your mother and father were murdered. That must have been horrible; one would understand your hatred towards criminals… But that doesn't give you the right to play judge and jury, totally disregarding the law," she says. Bruce remembers his parents; his mother teaching him to play the piano, reading the Bible to him, while his father taught him medicine and boxing. "Look at this city, Detective; it's plagued by crime and corruption. Like Egypt with the wrath of God. Perhaps Batman is wrong in his approach, however, it's not like the _courts_ will do what's necessary for the people of Gotham. I've devoted millions to fixing this city, and it still persists in its decay," Bruce says. Renee is taken aback by this speech; seldom does she see such pessimism. "Look, Wayne," Jim says, "I don't care _why_ you did it; I just want to know whether or not to send you to Arkham!" Jim is face-to-face with the man who has supported his tenure as Commissioner, held fundraisers, and been a friend. "In court," Bruce says, "The Mens Ray is more important than the Actus Reus, Jim." Suddenly, the police officers outside the interrogation room run by, and one enters the room. "Commissioner," he says, "Batman's outside the station!" Gordon looks at Bruce, and then rushes out to see what his officer was talking about, "Keep an eye on him, Bullock," Jim says. Outside the station, Alfred Pennyworth, disguised as Batman, stands before the officers. "I thought that you were…" Jim says. Alfred presses on a tape recorder on the utility belt, which spews a message for the police. _Ladies and gentlemen of the GCPD, as you can see, I am_ not _Bruce Wayne. However, I do not intend on disclosing my identity to you, nor any other law enforcement service. The reason behind my snapping of The Joker's neck is purely justified; he threatened my partner, Robin, and I could not allow that to happen. The Joker had harmed enough people; therefore I took upon myself what the State of New Jersey could not do: execute a mass murderer._ With that, the tape stops, and Alfred grapples away from the Gotham City Police Department. Commissioner James Gordon rushes back to the interrogation room, to see that neither Harvey, nor Bruce have left. "Bullock, did the prisoner stay here with you, the whole time?" Jim asks. "Sure did Commish," Harvey replies. At this point, Bruce's lawyer has entered the room. "I'm fairly certain, Commissioner that proves my client is _not_ the Batman, therefore he should be released." the lawyer says. Grumbling, Jim unlocks the handcuffs around Bruce's wrists. "Mr. Wayne…I apologize for this misunderstanding, you're free to go," he says.

Back at Wayne Manor, Clark is waiting for Bruce, with his arms crossed. "I thought that you were _better_ than this, Bruce," he says. "Hello Clark, please, come in!" Bruce remarks. The two walk to the study, where Bruce takes a seat behind his desk. "You crossed a line, Bruce, you killed a man!" Clark says. Chuckling, Bruce proclaims, "The Joker was no man! H was a mass murdering psychopath, with no remorse for the people he's harmed." Clark, being the stoic alien that he is, brushes this off. "It doesn't matter, he was still human. All life is precious!" he says. "Tell that to his _victims_ ," Bruce says, "Last I checked, the number was…300!" This shocks the reporter; he was unaware of the number of people whom The Joker had harmed. "There was no way that he could be rehabilitated, Clark, every time he's sent to Arkham, he breaks out, and people die. I did the world a service," Bruce says. Clark is wide-eyed and mortified by what he's hearing. "How can you possibly believe that?" he asks, "What could have made you decide that this man should no longer live?" Bruce stands up, and leans into his desk. "Simply put…my son. The Joker had just shot Dick, and was going to fire again, so I chose the only logical option," he says. Clark stands up and polishes his glasses, pondering the decisions _he's_ made. "Unlike you, Clark, I can't bend steel in my bare hands, nor am I faster than a speeding bullet. I have to rely on the most powerful muscle in the human body [points to his head], and luckily mine is the best in the world," Bruce says. Clark, feeling ashamed, looks at his friend, and then starts walking to the door. "I know that Bruce, but that doesn't change my thoughts on the matter. The Joker may have been a murderer, but everyone deserves a chance at redemption," he says. "It seems only home can get through that thick skull of yours," Bruce says. Suddenly, Clark hears something…strange. It's a missile! He quickly changes into his Superman suit, and flies out of Wayne Manor, only to see that the missile is headed towards the house. With great speed, Superman catches the missile, and throws it into orbit, where it promptly explodes. He uses his x-ray vision to observe the surrounding area, and sees two skeletons in a nearby bush. The two assassins chuckle as they get ready to flee, but suddenly feel lighter as Superman lifts them up. "Who sent you?" Superman asks. Stammering, one replies, "L-L...Lex Luthor, sir!" The Man of Tomorrow quickly brings the assassins to GCPD headquarters, and then flies back to Wayne Manor, to check on Bruce. Superman looks around the house, but cannot find Bruce, nor Alfred, or anyone else. The grandfather clock in the study opens up, and Batman steps out, "Come on," he says.

Chapter 7

Superman flies next to the Batwing, heading for Metropolis, New York. As they draw closer to the City of Dreams, Superman ponders what Batman had said earlier. The Batwing touches down on top of a building a few blocks away from LexCorp Tower. "What's our plan?" Supes asks. Bats, ever the tactician, already has a plan of getting in _and_ out of the building. "Follow my lead, and do _exactly_ as I say," Bats says. Supes carries Bats over to the Tower, which is much bigger the closer you are. "Lex must be the most arrogant man on Earth. His office is like the Tower of Babel," Batman says. Growing up with Lex in Kansas, Kal-El knows the full extent of his old friend's hubris. "Lex has always seen himself as this 'perfect human', this is just another way of him flaunting his superiority," Superman says. As the heroes reach the top, Superman sets Batman on the roof, where he begins to open a hatch leading to the ventilation system. The two struggle to fit through, with their muscles making it difficult to enter the small hatch, but manage to slip through. Looking through another vent, Batman sees the CEO with a familiar face, The Riddler. He and Superman sneak through the shaft to another side of the building, exiting at another office. Using his x-ray vision, Superman sees the villains talking, and tries to listen in. "Well Mr. Nygma," Lex says, "Perhaps we should rejoice in our victory! The Batman is no longer a threat, and Superman is severely injured, leaving only _time_ to take him into its cold embrace." Lex pours Ed and himself a drink, and they toast, "To the utter demise of our advisories!" At which point the World's Finest burst through the door, shocking the villains, to the point where they drop their glasses. "What?!" Lex asks. "Impossible!" Riddler says. Batman tosses a couple of batarangs at them, hitting Riddler's cane out of his hand, and piercing Lex's shoulder. Superman walks toward Lex, in an attempt to bring him in, but is weakened by something in the room. Lex smiles, and punches Superman in the face. "I knew that forging a Kryptonite ring would come in handy," he says. Batman goes to tie up The Riddler, but his old foe has something to say. "Riddle me this, Batman; _no walls can hold me, nor do iron bars form a cage. But with darkness comes light, what am I?_ " he asks. "Arkham," Batman answers. He punches his enemy out. "Correct," Riddler manages, before passing out. Meanwhile, Luthor is standing over Superman holding the ring to his enemy's face. "You managed to enter Olympus, Superman, but you cannot expect to take Zeus' lightning!" Lex proclaims. "You always thought yourself…a god, Lex, even back home," Supes mumbles. Lex relinquishes his grip on Supes, and thinks about what was just said. _Even back home?_ He thinks. "Clark?" Lex asks. Batman takes this opportunity to attack Luthor, knocking him out with one punch. "Let's get out of here, Kent," Batman says. He picks his friend off of the floor, and they walk over to the telephone on Luthor's desk. "The Riddler and Lex Luthor are tied up in the CEO's office at LexCorp Tower," Batman says, hanging up. Superman and Batman wait for the police to arrive, before leaving. Superman is talking with his old friend, Captain Maggie Sawyer. "And then Luthor attacked me, claiming that this was Olympus, and he was Zeus," he says. Maggie is taking notes on the account, "Thanks for the help, Clark, I really appreciate it. By the way, who's going to get the story, you or Lois?" Superman smiles, "I think that _I'll_ get this one, Maggie." As Inspector Dan Turpin escorts Lex and Ed away, Luthor looks at Batman and asks, "How? I had the upper hand!" Batman smiles. "Veni vidi vici," he says. Dan drags Luthor and Nygma away. Superman hears a signal, one very familiar to him. "Excuse me," he says, and then flies off. Maggie smiles, "He's really something, eh Ba-" But Batman has vanished.

Jimmy Olsen, photographer for the Daily Planet, is falling from the top of a construction site. " _Help!_ " he yells. Just a few feet above the ground, Superman catches Jimmy, who is relieved to see his pal. "Thank you for saving me, Superman!" Jimmy exclaims. "No problem, Jimmy, I'm happy to help out my pal," Superman replies. Meanwhile, back at the home of Clark and Lois Kent, Lois is frantically trying to write the story of how Lex Luthor and the Riddler teamed up to kill Superman. She hears a _whooshing_ sound, and Clark is there, with a page. "Here's the story, honey," he says. "Ugh, I hate it when you beat me to a story, even if it's about _you_!" she says. Kissing his wife on the cheek, Clark smiles and then says, "Don't worry, Lois, there are plenty of other stories for you to tell." Lois gets up and walks to their bedroom. "I think I know a story you can't resist, Kent. Give me a moment to prepare it for you," she says. A moment later, Lois emerges in her lingerie, with her gorgeous smile painted across her face. "What do you think, Smallville?" she asks. Ripping his clothes off, Clark zips to pick her up, and then takes her into the bedroom. Mr. and Mrs. Kent enjoy a night of passion and love.

Days later, Batman and Robin, now healed, are off fighting crime. Two-Face is holding a pair of twins' hostage. "Good heads, we wait for the ransom call. Bad heads, we snuff 'em out," Two-Face says. His goons cock their guns, and Two-Face flips his coin. As the two-sided silver dollar twirls in the air, Batman and Robin crash through the window. The coin lands on the bad side. Two-Face says, "Kill them!" pointing at the Dynamic Duo. The heroes throw their batarangs at the crooks, knocking the guns out of their hands, and leap towards them. Robin tackles one henchman, punching the snot out of him, while Batman deals with the others. "Robin, get the children out of here," Batman says. Robin begins untying the siblings, and Two-Face picks up one of his men's Tommy guns. "Oh no you don't," Harvey says. But this time, Robin is ready; he sweeps Dent's legs, knocking him over. He continues untying the kids, while Batman walks over to Two-Face. "Harvey," he says, "I can help you. Please, come with us…for Gilda." Harvey looks at his feet, "Gilda…" He takes out his coin, and flips it in the air. It lands on the good side, and he leaves, peacefully, with his old friend. After the police take the children home and Harvey to Arkham Asylum, Batman and Robin return to the Batcave. "Do you have it ready, Alfred?" Bruce asks. "Of course, sir," Alfred answers. Bruce goes up to the Manor where, waiting in the dining room, is Selina. The two eat have a dinner date at home, and are eating a roast, prepared by Alfred. "How is it?" Bruce asks. "It's delicious," Selina says, "I'll have to thank Alfred when we're done." The couple finishes their meal, and then Bruce is suddenly on one knee. "Selina Kyle, will you marry me?" he asks. Selina begins to cry, she's never felt the way she has with Bruce, and it frightens her. "Yes," she answers. Bruce stands up, embracing her with all of his love. They go to the master bedroom, where Selina is now wearing lingerie, and her green eyes filled with glee as she smiles her heart melting smile. Bruce takes her in his arms, and says, "I love you, Selina." And as the lights go out, Selina whispers in Bruce's ear, "I love you more, Bruce."

Epilogue

Superman and Batman meet at the Hall of Justice, the headquarters of the Justice League of America where the two heroes are pleased to see each other. "I'm sorry that I judged you, Bruce, but I cannot condone killing," Supes says. Bats, content with his choice, says, "It's alright, Clark, I forgive you." Suddenly, the door behind them opens [pan up, revealing Wonder Woman, from feet to face]. Wonder Woman walks over the threshold, her amazing smile directed at her friends. "Hello Clark… _Bruce,_ it's good to see you two," she says. *Provocative when she acknowledges Bruce* "Diana, would you honor me with your presence, at my wedding?" Batman asks. Diana tries to hide her heartache, while she says, "Of course, Bruce." An alert sounds summoning the JLA, and so; Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Hawkgirl rush into action!

Finis

Concluded in Justice League of America by Aidan Richard Vaughan!


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